Student-Centred Learning in English as a Foreign Language

This essay explores the implementation of student-centred learning in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) education. It outlines a sequence of learning, from basic alphabet to complex grammar, and emphasizes the importance of student-centred activities such as group discussions, presentations, and case studies. The essay also addresses cognitive, socio-affective, and ethical considerations, referencing Krashen’s Monitor Theory to understand language acquisition. Furthermore, it highlights the benefits of learning English, including cognitive flexibility and improved decision-making skills. The essay concludes by suggesting methods for teachers to create a successful student-centred learning environment, including the use of technology and interactive activities.

EDUC9708_template_Assignment 2
edSequence of learning
Since the foreign language which is to be taught to the students is English, the following
sequence can be used for teaching:
 Start with the alphabet, some pronunciation for normal interaction and a few basic
English words
 Teaching the formation of sentences with the help of common verbs
 Teaching grammar concepts like adjectives, adverbs, negation, conjugation, syntax
and such others to the students
 Organizing small discussion activities in between lectures to evaluate the efficiency
of learning
 Organizing student centred activities as discussed below
 Conducting tests for evaluation and collecting feedback
Learning objectives
The main learning objectives of the project are-
 To develop the interest of the students in learning English and improve the
communication capacity of the students in English
 To improve the teaching effect and make use of full capacity of the students to learn
the foreign language
 To improve the interaction between the students and the teacher
 To broaden the knowledge of the students to understand the western culture
 To generate a context for the language teaching
 To provide flexibility to the content of the course to maximize the learning
capability of the students
 To integrate new technology and e-pedagogy to make the students learn English in
the best possible manner (Shyamlee, 2012)
Student-centred activities
Learning English as a foreign language presents its own challenges and rewards. The
conventional methods of teaching focused more on the teachers and the way they teach. But
the new methods of learning are developed in a way that they follow a student-centred
approach. A student-centred approach promotes a less focus on the teacher and more focus
on the actions and contributions of the learners. The students must feel that their input in the
class is valued and is driving the class (Taylor, 1983). The student-centred approach may
employ the following learning techniques in the class-
 First of all, the ELL must be made self-reflective and self-motivated for the students.
 The students must be engaged in short group discussions, both at the inception and
end of the class. For this, the group members must be rotated on an everyday basis
so that all the students get a fair opportunity to express their opinions and views on a
certain topic.
 The students must be asked to form self-directed pairs and prepare assignments and
reports after the end of a topic. It will promote the interest of the students in learning
and evaluate their knowledge about the topic.
 The students must be asked to prepare group presentations on the class so that their
1

EDUC9708_template_Assignment 2
hesitation comes off and they are open to public speaking (Marwan, 2017).
 Panel sessions can be arranged after the end of a topic where the students are asked
to come up with the questions related to the topic and their questions are answered
by the panel of experts.
 KWL approach can be used where the KWL posters including (What do you Know?
What do you Want to know? What do you want to Learn?) can be put and the
students can come and fill this poster. It will help the teachers to plan their next
lectures (TeachThought Staff, 2017).
 Brainstorming method can be used to put the thinkers to work. The teachers can
present the students with a situation and the students are asked to use creative
thinking approach.
 Create media exercises can help the students to create videos on a particular topic
and present in the classrooms
 Case study approach has also proven to be very effective as the students are
provided with a case study and asked to apply critical thinking approach and present
the solutions. For instance, the students can be asked to create videos on the topic
“what difference does learning English make for an individual?”. The students will
research on it, create videos and present them in the classroom (Pop, 2015).
These methods will ensure that the distance between the student and the understanding of
English shortens.
Cognitive, socio-affective and ethical considerations
While teaching English as a foreign language, three Cognitive, socio-affective and ethical
concerns are faced:
 The concern implying that everyone has a worth
 The concerns implying that the students must learn to tolerate differences
 The concerns which state that the students must not hurt the feelings of others
(Mangubhai, 2007)
According to the socio-perceptual perspective the social factors such as the language
teachers, the interaction with the society, language course, ethno linguistic vitality and
individual differences influence the learning of a foreign language like English by an
individual. Cognitive factors such as language aptitude and learning strategies affect the
acquisition of English by the individuals. Personality attributes such as anxiety, self-esteem,
self-confidence, extroversion and tolerance of ambiguity also interfere with the learning is a
foreign language (Thomas, 2009).
To overcome these, three types of integration patterns can be used which include
assimilation, preservation and acculturation. These methods develop a positive attitude
among the students for learning English and also help them to overcome the personal, social
and ethical barriers for learning English.
Krashen’s Monitor Theory can be applied to understand how the learners acquire a
foreign language. This theory is based on five hypotheses-
2

EDUC9708_template_Assignment 2
 Acquisition and Learning hypothesis which states that acquisition of a second
language is a subconscious activity whereas learning is a conscious activity. They
both must work simultaneously.
 Monitor Hypothesis which states that the learners utilize an internal monitor for
recognizing their mistakes and correcting them on their own.
 Natural Order hypothesis which states that people acquire a language in a
predictable natural order.
 Input Hypothesis which states that the learners must be given an input at a higher
level than the current level of the learner for improved learning.
 Affective Filter Hypothesis states that a person with low self-confidence, low
motivation and high anxiety has a limited acquisition of the language (Nitta, 2006).
These points must be kept in mind while developing an English Learning Plan.
3

EDUC9708_template_Assignment 2
Student benefits
Learning English as a foreign language has a number of benefits such as-
 It provides cognitive flexibility to the people as bilingual people can adapt
themselves to unexpected situations in a faster manner as new language develops
their areas of mind and fastens information processing.
 As English is a global language, it will allow the students to work and settle in every
part of the world and interact with local people.
 Learning a second language improves the memory and makes an individual a
conscious thinker and improves creativity.
 Learning English also improves the decision making abilities and increases attention
as the language has different expressions, creates different types of sounds and
allows the listener to decide what is correct for a particular situation.
 It helps students in developing multitasking skills as the students need to switch
between different systems of speech, structure and writing ( Aspect Education Ltd.,
2018).
What would a teacher need to do to make this a successful learning experience for
4

EDUC9708_template_Assignment 2
students?
To make the students centred learning feasible, the teacher can use the following methods of
instructions. Also, she can organize the activities mentioned above in “student-centred
activities” Section.
 The teachers also play a significant role in providing an extensive student-centred
learning. The teachers can use new technologies such as teaching using projectors,
organizing workshops, developing presentations for students and teaching them
using these methods.
 Role play and simulation are other effective instruction methods promoting student
centred learning. Computer simulation can be used to simulate a new event and learn
the use of English in practical situations (National Education Association, 2017).
 Social media can also be used to share a message with the students and get feedback.
 Games, competitions, debated and extempore can be organized to allow the students
to use their learned English skills (TeachThought Staff, 2017).
5

EDUC9708_template_Assignment 2
REFERENCES
Aspect Education Ltd. (2018). WHY LEARN ENGLISH? Retrieved 2018, from
www.kaplaninternational.com: https://www.kaplaninternational.com/english-
courses-abroad/benefits-learning-english
Mangubhai, F. (2007). he Moral and Ethical Dimensions of Language Teaching. Australian
Journal of Education, 51(2), 178-189.
Marwan, A. (2017). Implementing Learner-Centered Teaching in an English Foreign
Language (EFL) Classroom. Celt: A Journal of Culture, English Language Teaching
and Literature, 17(1), 45-59.
National Education Association. (2017). 60 Student-Centered Teaching Strategies.
Retrieved 2018, from www.nea.org: http://www.nea.org/tools/lessons/48913.htm
Nitta, T. (2006). Affective, Cognitive and Social factors affecting Japanese learners of
English in Cape Town. University of the Western Cape.
Pop, M.-C. (2015). Course Material Design Using the New Technologies in Language for
Specific Purposes Teaching and Learning. Procedia - Social and Behavioral
Sciences, 182(2015), 325 – 330.
Shyamlee, S. D. (2012). Use of Technology in English Language Teaching and Learning.
International Conference on Language, Medias and Culture.
Taylor, B. P. (1983). Teaching ESL: Incorporating a Communicative, Student-Centered
Component. TESOL Quarterly, 17(1), 69-88.
TeachThought Staff. (2017). https://www.teachthought.com/pedagogy/28-student-centered-
instructional-strategies/. Retrieved 2018, from www.teachthought.com: 28 Student-
Centered Instructional Strategies
Thomas, M. (2009). Ethical issues in the study of second language acquisition: Resources
for researchers. Second Language Research, 25(4), 493-511.
6